White Demon, Where's Your Selfish Kiss?
by Shelby Gander
Summary: Everyone knows where Tom Marvolo Riddle's story ends; but where did it begin?
1. Preface

There was not much abnormal in the home at Number Twelve Alivander Drive. It was a relatively humble abode, nothing to ostentatious or showy. The simple and ordinary red and brown bricks were nothing special compared to all the other identical structures. The cramped lawn that dressed it was no greener than the others, and the flowers planted in the beds were the same shades of yellows and blue's as those that sat in the neighbors. There was not a single thing about the house that would cause the average passerby to give a second look.

The owners of the home went well in suit with the house itself; simple and average in every meaning of the word. Mrs. Monte was the stay-at-home mother, a typical housewife who kept the house in presentable shape for any visitors that dared to pop in for a cup of tea. Mrs. Monte was a tall woman, who was terribly thin in a desperate attempt to keep herself in acceptable appearance within society. Mrs. Monte prided herself on her looks, making sure that never a strand of her long and unnaturally bright red hair would stray out of accord and that her complicated to apply cosmetics would never give away a flaw on her falsely tanned completion.

Currently, Mrs. Monte was seated at the overdone dining room table, laughing with false merriment with one of the middle aged women that lived in one of the adjacent identical houses. Mrs. Monte was known to do all in her ability to keep up with the latest neighborhood gossip that was circling around with all the housewives. It was a daily activity, the constant craning of her long neck over the hedge to get any sort of decent gossip to share with her tea mates.

Mr. Monte was just as stereotypical as his wife. Mr. Monte spent the classic nine to five hour days at his job selling copying machines for an expensive computing company. Mr. Monte never let anything interfere with his stand still career, pushing everything else that may have come up to the side instantly.

Mr. and Mrs. Monte had a single child of their own, and as beautiful and fortunate as his parents may have been, Bradford Monte was the bad apple of the gene pool. If there was a single phrase that could be used to describe their son in appearance and nature would be pig like. Bradford was small and round, the creases in his skin were created by the protruding rolls of fattened flesh that came from his selfish feeding habits.

Food was not the only thing that Bradford was selfish over. In fact, there was not a single thing that Bradford Monte was not hogging over, whether he wanted that thing or not. Bradford loved to be spoiled, and was he ever. Bradford had two bedrooms, besides the one that he slept in, both crammed to the limit with his rarely used toys and trinkets.

Mr. and Mrs. Monte did not condemn his tantrumous habits, quite the opposite was true. Based on the amount of photographs that adorned nearly every wall in the house and the amount of time Mrs. Monte spent bragging about her son to anyone who would give a second to spare, Bradford Monte was a king in the household.

So much attention was spent on Bradford, in fact, that no one would have guessed that he was not the only child in the household. The truth is, the Monte's were guardians over two more children as well, though clearly not as proudly.

Henry and Earnestine Gander were twins, and they were the same age as Bradford Monte. Mr. and Mrs. Monte did not speak of the twins when in company, at least not unless they were asked about them. Even when words were spoken of the children, it was never in good nature and never more than one or two words. It was clear to anyone that the Monte family did not enjoy the company of the pestful children that were thrust upon them.

The house was only a four bedroom occupancy, and with Mr. and Mrs. Monte sharing the master bedroom, and Bradford taking up the remaining three, no one cared to make room for the twins, pushing them into the cold and moldy attic. Not that the twins minded the solitude that this gave them, they did not like their adoptive family any more so than their adoptive family enjoyed them.

The attic was the best thing that they could wish for, even with its rotten wooden floors and the sparse light that was provided by a single six inch by six inch window that was crested over with years of dust and dirt. The attic was a large room, as wide and as long as the house itself, but it was only filled with two toddler sized beds and a single three compartment dresser for them to share.

It was clear to anyone that the twins were not equally respected as the Motes' own biological son, even if the twins were blood family. Mr. and Mrs. Monte were related to the twins, or at least Mr. Monte was. Mr. Monte and Mrs. Gander were siblings, though not emotionally close growing up. When the twin's parents suddenly died ten years earlier, Mr. and Mrs. Monte were the only family left to care for the twins.

Perhaps it was an act of kindness for Mr. and Mrs. Monte to take the twins in, it is supposed that they simply could have turned them away and sent them to a home for someone else to care for. In fact, had they been given any real choice in the matter, they probably would have. Mr. Monte and his sister were never on friendly terms; in all honesty Mr. Monte never spoke of his sister, not even to answer the prodding questions of the twins.

Henry and Earnestine were not even allowed the luxury of attending the same school as the Monte golden child Bradford. It wasn't that they wanted to; as they had been forced the experience throughout their elementary years. Bradford made sure that everyone hated the twins just as much as he did. If anyone tried to be kind or friendly to the twins in any way Bradford and his gang of bullies would torment the poor compassionate children to no end.

It was clear to anyone that Henry and Earnestine were not normal anyways, strange things had always happened to them when they least expected or could help it. For instance, there was one instance that Bradford and his friend Charlie were teasing Earnestine for answering the teacher's question correctly in class. The two brutes were cornering her between the water fountain and the adjacent wall assuring that she had no escape and snatching away her school books one by one and tossing them around the hallway.

Earnestine didn't mean or will for the following retaliation, in fact, it seemed to have merely escaped from her imagination, blurring into what must have been reality. It was by pure accident that she had turned the boys' pinkish and pig-like competitions into a sickly green color. Even the schools nurse was unsure of how to fix the ridiculous color of their skin and was forced to send the two terrified boy's home for the week until the color wore out.

Henry and Earnestine, while enjoying their momentary revenge on their cruel and childish cousin, had later paid for it at home with the Montes. Mr. Monte bellowed at the children until his face too turned an awkward shade, this time of purple. Mrs. Monte had spent the entire evening on the telephone with Charlie's mother in an attempt to console her anger against the family. The twins did not try to explain themselves. They knew that the effort would be in vain; just like every other instance that something odd had taken place in their presence. No matter how much or how little they could explain the phenomenon, to the Montes they were always at fault. In the end, the twins were forced into their room for two weeks of confinement. Up until that moment, the twins had found the situation to be quite amusing. The Montes failed to see the humor as their son wailed in his bedroom until the sickly shade had begun to fade from his completion.

It was clear to all who knew the family that the twins were odd, and it was no wonder that the Monte family was so completely ashamed to admit to them. It was something the twins had grown used to over the decade that had passed living with them, and it was something they had expected to continue for as long as their precious childhood would last.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Earnestine." Henry prodded quizzically at his sister once they were thoroughly alone in the confines of the dreary old attic they called home. "Earnestine, there is really no need to cry." Henry had felt terrible seeing his sister this way, although he had known why she behaved in the manner she did. Henry knew that she was asking the same questions as he was.

"But Henry," Earnestine sniffled through her small suppressed cries strongly. "Don't you ever ask yourself how it would have been different? You know, if mum and dad were still alive?" Earnest looked trustingly at her brother with her large and warm chocolate brown eyes.

Henry sat down on the too small bed beside his sister, placing a soft and comforting hand on her arm soothingly. "Of course I do, Earnest, every day." Henry didn't know much else to say, but it was the truth, he had thought of them so very often. He couldn't tell whether his thoughts were actual true to life memories of them or if they were delusions that he had created from being shut up in the attic for ten years too long.

Earnestine sighed, leaning her head onto her brother's shoulder. Her long dark curls cascaded over her brothers clothes. "I dream about them, Henry. Every night I do." Earnestine got quiet suddenly, going into a world of her own thought. It was hardly peaceful. Quite a number of moments had passed before she had spoken again, this time in more detail. "I dream that mum and dad lived here, just us, our family. I dream of Christmas time, the four of us curled up around a brightly lit tree, smiling and laughing."

Earnestine trailed off, the happy thought ended off on a sour note, and Henry gave her hand a reassuring squeeze although he too knew what she was feeling as he had missed it just as well. "Everything will be alright, Earnest, you'll see."

It was quiet for a few more moments, though it was a sad silence; it was still peaceful as it was shared between two siblings who shared one mind. After a while in the eerie dark, Henry dared to speak again. "Earnestine?"

"Hmm?" It was clear that Earnestine had grown tired over the few passing moments and was quite close to asleep on her brother's shoulder. That simple noise was her only response.

Henry hesitated, not knowing if he should even bother asking that same dead question he had asked over and over again throughout the years. Henry decided he might as well, for old times' sake. "Why do you think we are different?"

Henry could feel Earnestine sigh. It did not seem to be a sigh of frustration with her brother's question, but a sigh of pondering. "I think we have always been different, Henry. I think we were meant to be." Henry could feel his sister smile a little, her own words bringing her comfort. "After all, would you be happy being _normal _like Mr. and Mrs. Monte and their precious little Bradford?"

It was silent for a moment, until Earnestine could feel her brother too smile above her. It was a sign that he had caught hold of her bitter since of humor well enough. The two peculiar twins of Number Twelve Alivander Drive shared one last laugh before drifting into sleep simultaneously.


	2. Chapter One

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

"I'm not so certain about this, Henry." Earnestine whispered carefully as the two of them stared at the brick was between platforms nine and ten. "Maybe this was some sort of joke that Mr. and Mrs. Monte were playing on us."

"No." Henry said firmly. "This is it, it has to be here." When the bearded man had shown up in their attic a few weeks back, he was sure that the judgmental Mr. and Mrs. Monte never would have even hired such an unkempt man. "Professor Dumbledore said it would be right here at eleven o'clock."

"Cleary he was wrong." Earnestine insisted.

Henry, though, stared intensely at each of the bricks, looking for any sign of the platform that was supposed to be sitting right there. Henry glanced down at his ticket one more time just to make sure that he had read it correctly. Still the ticket clearly said, The Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station. Henry sighed frustrated.

Earnestine grabbed her brother's arm and pulled along the trolley of things that this 'Professor' had said were the supplies that they had needed for their year at this 'school' that taught 'magic'. It had all seemed too good to be true at the time he said it, and as it turns out, it apparently was.

Henry sighed, resigned. Once again, his sister had been right in being a skeptic. However, for once, Henry had truly believed that he had been destined for something other than the filthy attic he was confined to. If this had been a sick prank, he hated Mr. and Mrs. Monte that much more for getting his hopes up and letting him down.

The two were silent as they headed toward the ticket counter. Henry was too focused on his feet in attempt to hide his disappointed face from his sister. Earnestine, however, had noticed something else; something peculiarly familiar.

Every so often she would see children in school uniforms-some accented with red, others with green and blue and yellow-pushing trollies that were a lot similar to the one her and her brother had. Some of the trollies even carried owls and cats. "Henry?" Earnestine gave her brother's arm a sudden tug of excitement as it dawned on her.

"Yeah?" Henry looked up, alarmed at his sister's sudden perkiness. "What's wrong?"

Earnestine pointed at one group of children. "Look!"

Henry did look and turned to face her, questions in his eyes. Clearly Earnestine's epiphany had blown straight over her brother's head. Earnestine rolled her eyes and turned back around, dragging herself and her brother back in the direction of the brick wall. Henry had barely enough time to grab their effects. "What has gotten into you!"

"Don't you get it, Henry?" Earnestine shouted in glee, turning around to face her brother while she skipped, her chocolate eyes were alight with excitement that echoed in her voice. "This isn't a joke, those kids are going to Hogwarts too!"

Henry sped up after her, hissing out in warning. "Do you mind not saying that so loud?" Henry struggled to keep up with his sister, probably because his enthusiasm was much less so than Earnestine's. Henry didn't have high hopes that the platform would magically appear there simply because more children were showing up now.

Earnestine stopped at the brick wall, watching the other group of children carefully. The wall was still there, and there was no mysterious platform that led to the Hogwarts Express. There had to have been some special way to get to it.

"See, Earnest. No platform." Henry informed the obvious. "Let's just.."

"Shhh!" Earnestine hushed her brother before he could finish talking. "I'm trying to watch."

Henry rolled his eyes and huffed irritably. Instead of staying there with his sister, he had begun to stalk off again, murmuring something about inhaling too much insulation. Earnestine ignored her brother and stayed.

The boy she had been watching grabbed hold of his trolley tight and made a bolt straight for the brick wall. Earnestine cringed as he approached it at full speed, certain that she was going to hear a crash. She didn't. Surprised, she had opened her eyes only to see that the boy was nowhere in sight. Earnestine gasped in awe.

Wheeling around, she chased after her brother who had only gotten a few yards down the long walk and grabbed him by the hand forcefully. Henry looked at her and seemed as if he were about to say something along the lines of 'I told you so' but was shut up when his sister began pulling him back once again. "What now?"

"I know how to do it!" Earnestine exclaimed eagerly. "I know how to get to the platform!" As soon as Earnestine had made their way back to where she had been perched to watch the other boy disappear into the wall, she let go of her brother's hand and spoke. "You just run straight into it."

Henry looked at her, the look on his face was very skeptical. "Right."

"I'm being serious," Earnestine huffed. When her brother showed her no sign of agreement, she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine then, Henry. Watch and learn." Earnestine reached around her brother to grab her trolley and gripped the handle tightly. While she appeared certain of her actions, she was still very nervous about running full speed into something that appeared to be very solid.

Earnestine closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath, holding it in as she bolted for the wall. Vaguely she heard Henry call out in concern from behind her, but she wasn't going to stop. By the time that she should have crashed into the wall, she had only felt a sudden brush of air and she had once again been surrounded by what sounded as the rustling of the train station.

When Earnestine dared to open her eyes, she was amazed to clearly see right in front of her, a bright red train crammed full of other children just like her. Along the side of the train, gold letters clearly spelled out The Hogwarts Express, telling her that she had made it. Earnestine's mouth hung ajar as she took it in amazed that it had actually been real. Dumbledore had spoken the truth.

A few moments passed and she had felt her brother's presence next to her, his face mimicked her own and she smiled at him. "I told you that I knew how."

Henry wasn't going to admit his error; he glanced down at his watch, checking the time. 10:57. "Earnest, we've got to hurry. The train leaves in three minutes." With that simple excuse, Henry took hold of his trolley and his sister and bolted for the nearest car opening, hoisting their effects onto them first and then allowing Earnestine to enter the train before him.

Earnestine, once aboard the train, began heading down the narrow passage way, peering into each compartment curiously. Each of the children looked to range in age and they seemed to be from all different backgrounds. To think that Earnestine and Henry had believed that they had been all alone in their magical and mysterious talents.

Eventually, Earnestine found an empty compartment and slid open the door, practically jumping down onto the cloth bench seat. Henry followed behind her and put away their luggage and owls, and took the seat opposite her. Henry couldn't seem to shake his amazement. "It really is real, isn't it?"

Earnestine laughed. It was hard to believe she could have been this happy. "Obviously. Unless we are having the same exact dream."

"Don't scare me." Henry said plainly. "I don't want to wake up in a few moments to that dirty bloody attic."

"Neither do I," Earnestine agreed fully sitting back in her seat, making herself comfortable. Earnestine had just begun to wonder how long of a ride they had ahead of them when the compartment door slid open again to reveal a boy about their age.

The boy looked at neither of them, and when he spoke his voice was quiet. "Do you mind if I take a seat? Everywhere else is full." Earnestine looked at the boy and felt an instant attachment like she did with most people. This boy was different, though. The boy had dark hair and eyes and pale skin. Even though they were sitting down, the boy seemed like he would have been taller than her and Henry but she wasn't quite sure.

Henry scooted over, making room for the boy. He gestured with his hand for him to take a seat. "Of course. We don't mind."

The boy sat down, making himself comfortable though his demeanor didn't quite seem relaxed. "My name is Tom. Tom Riddle." The boy introduced himself after a moment, voice proud.

"I'm Henry," Henry introduced in return. "And this is my twin sister Earnestine."

Earnestine smiled at Tom. "It's nice to meet you."

Tom made a noise that she took as an agreement.

"Have you been to Hogwarts before?" Henry asked, trying to be polite and invite Tom into a conversation.

"No." Tom's voice was bored and drawing. "This is my first year. Have you?"

"No." Henry said. "This is our first year as well."

"Where do you come from?" Earnestine asked him, wanting to keep him talking.

"An orphanage," Tom hissed. Earnestine had clearly touched a nerve and provoked Tom's rage. "Not like that matters to you at all."

Earnestine answered him quietly, a little taken back by his temper. "That isn't anything to be ashamed of, Tom. My brother and I are orphans as well."

"Oh." It was Tom's only answer.

Earnestine pursed her lips at the awkward silence that came next. Eventually Tom spoke again, and once again his voice was back to being calm and quiet, his question was casual. "I am assuming you are both about eleven then?"

"Yes." Henry and Earnestine answered at the same time.

"So am I." Tom stated.

They didn't have much conversation the ride to the school, and by the time that they had received word that the train was approaching its destination, it was nightfall. The three children were told to leave their belongings and exit the train.

Henry was a little apprehensive of leaving his things behind, but Earnestine convinced him with her willing obedience that doing so was okay. Tom, too, seemed to be fine with following the request. The three exited the train together, and like gentlemen, they allowed Earnestine to go first.

"First years over here! All first years!" There was a man outside the train, calling out for all first years to go a different direction than all the other children that had exited the train. It was very exciting as Earnestine and the other two laid eyes on a hundred other young children just like themselves filing into their special direction. These were going to be their classmates and their friends.

Earnestine skipped eagerly into the direction of all the other students. Henry simply shook his head at his sister and kept in stride with the calm Tom Riddle who noted plainly, "She's a pistol."

Henry chuckled, rolling his eyes as they allowed her to trail ahead a few strides, not that it made a difference. "You have no idea."

They only way that the three of them noticed where they were going was because they had stopped. The man directing them had climbed into one of the several dozen row boats that sat docked along the large lake. Just ahead of them, they could see the castle only by the amber lights that came through the windows.

"It's beautiful." Earnestine appraised as she clumsily stumbled into an open boat.

Henry laughed as he and Tom climbed into the same boat as her seating themselves so as to evenly distribute their weight, "You haven't even seen it yet. It's too dark."

Tom was the one to notice before the others. "There are no oars."

Earnestine frowned. "How are we supposed to get to the castle?"

Henry shrugged.

As if on some silent queue to answer the mystery, the boat had thrust forward and begun a slow float towards the other edge of the lake, following right along all the other boats that were being led by the man that had directed them to the lake. Earnestine tilted her head back; her dark cascading curls caught the light evening breeze, and laughed in amazement and humor. "It's magic."

Tom couldn't help but give the bubbly girl a smile amused smile. "What else would it be?"

"It's Hogwarts." Henry agreed, giving into the intimate moment that the three were sharing in.

After a few minutes that it had taken for all of the boats to make it across the lake, the leading man had stepped out of his and up some stone steps to a large wooden door. Before he entered he turned to speak to all the students who had been whispering to each other in awe. "I would like to welcome you all to Hogwarts, and to wish you all a great first year. Once you step through this door, you will be escorted to a waiting room by professor McGonagall and then will be filed in to be sorted into your houses accordingly."

With those final words, the door opened and everyone hurried through them, exited to get their first look at the castles interior. As soon as they stepped over the threshold, Earnestine spoke in admiration. "Look at this place."

She was right in her awe. The ceiling had to have at least been two hundred feet about their heads as they entered into a circular tower with a beige colored marble staircase spiraling around them that blended into the stone walls that were illuminated by candlelight. There were portraits that nearly covered every inch of the wall and to the student's astonishment, they were moving.

A wide smile spread across the girls face as she turned to look at her brother whose admiration mimicked that of her own. They had dreamed of this place ever since they had heard about it, and this succeeded their wildest and best of imagination.

Henry came forward and took hold of his sister's hand, giving it an affection squeeze as he turned to whisper to her triumphantly. "We made it. We're here." And again, the two shared a smile.

"Good evening, students." A voice rang off the walls as a woman dressed in black cloaks and a towering black witch's hat entered the room. "If you will just follow me and we will get you seated comfortably in the waiting room. Once there, you will be led out and sorted into your houses one by one."

"What are houses?" Earnestine whispered curiously.

Tom and Henry both shrugged at the same time.

There was no more time for words as the students filled into another room, this one was fully furnished with comfortable, but antique looking, couches and chairs and tables. It was very regal. It made Earnestine feel as if she had walked into a museum and worried to touch anything.

Tom took a seat tentatively, clearly thinking along the same lines, and Henry followed afterwards. Earnestine was the last of all the children to make herself comfortable. "How long do you think they will make us wa-WHAT IS THAT!" Her simple question had been stopped by an exclamation of terror.

Henry and Tom wheeled around in the direction she had been looking and searched for what she was so alarmed at. Floating all around them now were transparently white figures that all wore clothing from different eras.

"Ghosts." Earnestine jumped, letting out a sudden yelp of terror, and turned around, relieved to find that it was a perfectly human response. Another boy had joined them, tall and lean with pale skin and white-blonde hair. The boy smirked at Earnestine's fear. He held a pale hand out for her to shake as he spoke smoothly. "The name is William. William Thomas Malfoy. "

Henry glared at the boy as he shook his sister's shaky hand, murmuring a 'hello' when William's attention had turned to him. Tom did the same thing.

"What houses are you hoping for?" William asked as he causally invited himself to sit with the group, sloppily propping his feet on top of the coffee table. "Everyone in my family has been Slytherin, so I know where I'm going."

"We don't know the houses." Henry explained plainly.

"Muggle borns?" William's question was spoken with his nose held up in the air, cautious of their answer, mulling something over in his mind.

"What?" Earnestine asked.

"Were your parent's witches or wizards?" William clarified slowly.

"We didn't know our parents." Henry said quietly, dejecting his gaze.

William narrowed his eyes at the twins, speculating. "What is your last name?"

"Gander." Henry answered.

"Ah-hah." William noted to himself and then cleared his throat, offering the twins a tiny glimpse into the life they had never known. "You're pure-bloods."

Earnestine's look was quizzical so William continued lazily. "Both of your parent's were magical; and you came from a long line like you."

Their eyes alit with excitement. Henry asked carefully. "How do you know?"

William shrugged, "Because my grandparents knew yours and my parents knew your parents, so on and so forth." As if he were bored with the topic, he turned his attention to Tom who had been watching him quietly the entire time. "What about you?"

"I'm not sure either." Tom said calmly. "My last name is Riddle, if that helps."

William's eyes widened and he let out a laugh that was half amazed and half amused. "Well yeah, you're definitely half-blood. Your mother was a witch who married a rich Muggle; or more like seduced him, the skank."

Tom stood up, ready for a fight. William quickly swallowed and finished his insult with a complement. "I mean, she was great and everything, the heir of Slytherin himself. Trust me, Tom, there is some great magic in you."

Tom sat back down slowly as Earnestine asked. "Who was Slytherin?"

William seemed honestly amazed at the lack of knowledge that these children had. "One of the four founders of this school, one of the greatest wizards of all time…that sort of thing."

The look of Tom's face seemed to glow at knowing that he had descended from such a great and powerful line. The greatest wizard of all time…

There was a shaky voice that called them out of their private conversation, a ghostly voice. "Students, the time has come for you to enter the Great Hall." And just as he had spoken it, the double wooden doors on the far left side of the room had swung open and the students had formed a line, marching out formally.

The great hall was even more spectacular that the portrait gallery that they had first been brought into. The ceiling of this room seemed to be nonexistent; instead it was replaced by the same starry sky that they had seen outside and a couple thousand floating candles. There were five tables in the room, one that was horizontally facing the others and set atop a sort of stage in the stone floor. Everyone seated at this table were adults, so the children figured that it was safe to assume that these were the teachers and staff of the school.

The other four tables were set evenly apart, going along the length of the room, and all of the students who sat at each table seemed to match in uniform color. Above each table hung a banner; along the nearest table hung a green banner with a silver snake embroidered on it with fancy letters spelling out the name Slytherin. At the next table there was a yellow banner with a black bagger that was named Hufflepuff, at the next a navy blue banner with a bird and the name Ravenclaw, and finally at the furthest point of the room, a crimson red with a golden lion name Gryffindor.

Earnestine had figured that these were the four houses that they were about to be separated into.

Taking center stage was a raggedy old hat that sat on top of a wooden stool. Everyone in the room had been eyeing the had as Professor McGonagall stepped aside, as if expecting it to jump up from where it had been placed and do a dance.

Before her very eyes, Earnestine watched as the hat came to life slowly, and what seemed to be two eyes and a mouth appeared to take shape over the fabric. The hat had begun to move and an echo of gasps rang across the group of amazed first year students.

Just as soon as a hush had grown back over the room, the hat opened its mouth to speak. A deep, raspy voice bounced off all the walls.

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,__  
><em>_But don't judge on what you see,__  
><em>_I'll eat myself if you can find__  
><em>_A smarter hat then me.__  
><em>_You can keep your bowlers black,__  
><em>_Your top hats sleek and tall,__  
><em>_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat__  
><em>_And I can cap them all.__  
><em>_There's nothing hidden in your head__  
><em>_The Sorting Hat can't see,__  
><em>_So try me on and I will tell you__  
><em>_Where you ought to be.__  
><em>_You might belong in Gryffindor,__  
><em>_Where dwell the brave at heart,__  
><em>_Their daring, nerve and chivalry,__  
><em>_Set Gryffindors apart;__  
><em>_You might belong in Hufflepuff__  
><em>_Where they are just and loyal,__  
><em>_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,__  
><em>_And unafraid of toil;__  
><em>_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,__  
><em>_If you've a ready mind,__  
><em>_Where those of wit and learning,__  
><em>_Will always find their kind;__  
><em>_Or perhaps in Slytherin,__  
><em>_Where you'll meet your real friends,__  
><em>_Those cunning folk use any means,__  
><em>_To achieve their ends.__  
><em>_So put me on! Don't be afraid!__  
><em>_And don't get in a flap!__  
><em>_You're in safe hands (though I have none)__  
><em>_For a Thinking Cap."_

As soon as the hat had finished its poem, the entire room bursted out in applause; even all of the first year students, some who were just getting their first glimpse of magic. This place was spectacular to all. And so, Professor McGonagall had moved back into sight with a long roll of parchment in her hands, loudly calling out for all to hear. "Alexander, Marcus."

A young boy from the line stepped forward cautiously and moved to where the empty stool was. As soon as he had sat down, Professor McGonagall had placed the talking hat on the top of his head. After a moment the hat shouted out proudly, "Hufflepuff!" The table with the yellow banner jumped up and cheered with glee as the young boy walked over to join their ranks, a smile on his face.

Professor McGonagall continued the list, "Banner, Clarissa."

"Ravenclaw!"

"Broker, Justin."

"Gryffindor!"

"Where do you think we'll be?" Earnestine asked her brother in a whisper; still watching all that was taking place around her.

"Carter, Beatrice"

"I don't know." Henry answered honestly.

"Gryffindor!"

"I want Slytherin." Tom said plainly.

"Duggins, Rosalie."

"Slytherin!"

"I know where I am." William chimed in proudly. "I don't need a hat to tell me."

Henry rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Faulkner, Billy"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Gander, Earnestine."

Earnestine shuffled forward awkwardly as her name was called, moving carefully as to not trip over something and fall of her face. Earnestine took a deep, nervous breath as she had felt everyone's eyes fall onto her. Carefully, she took the seat on the stood and met the reassuring and supportive eyes of Henry.

When the hat was placed over the top of her head, it fell over her eyes leaving her in total darkness. Earnestine heard all the children laugh at her and felt the heat flush to her cheeks. The hat smelt funny.

It seemed to take the hat forever to deliberate on her, she didn't know if a long while really had passed, or if it were simply her nerves playing tricks on her. "Gryffindor!"

Earnestine let out a breath of relief and scurried quickly over to the table of cheering students dressed in red and gold. She was greeted warmly with a few high fives and pats to the back. Knowing that her brother was being sorted next, she paid attention.

"Gander, Henry."

Her brother shuffled forwards much in the same as her, and took as seat, looking just as nervous; after a few seconds: "Slytherin!"

For the instant their eyes met as he strode over to the table on the furthest end to her, she gave him a sad look. Earnestine had hoped to be kept with her brother for her stay at Hogwarts, but clearly the Sorting Hat had other plans.

A few more students were called and sorted, William Malfoy guessed correctly on his house, and eventually it was Tom's turn. The hat seemed to make its decision before it even touched the boys' head. "Slytherin!"

Earnestine sighed, why did she always have to be different. All of the people she had known and hoped to stick close to, and she was the odd one out. It was only the beginning of her stay and she had already known that this was going to be a long year.


	3. Chapter Two

**Quidditch Try Outs**

Henry, Tom, and William were all crowding around a large piece of parchment that had been placed on the Great Hall's bulletin board, whispering excitedly to one another. As soon as Earnestine's voice rang out, the three jumped simultaneously at her sudden and startling appearance. "What are you guys looking at?"

"Geez, Earnest!" Henry exclaimed breathless as she clutched his racing heart in attempt to get it back to a normal pace. "Kill someone why don't you."

Earnestine laughed, while William beamed at her. "Quidditch try outs are tomorrow evening on the pitch; and I, my dear lady, am going to be the first ever fist year to make the team."

"Sure." Tom muttered sarcastically, rolling his dark eyes at the pale boy.

"You don't believe me?" William asked, eyebrows raised.

"No. I don't." Tom said plainly.

William shrugged nonchalantly.

"What's Quidditch?" Earnestine felt stupid for asking, but she simply couldn't swallow her curiosity. Earnestine felt especially out of the loop when all three boys, including her brother and Tom who knew nothing of the wizarding world prior to these two weeks that they had spent in the school, looking at her as if she had three heads.

"What's Quidditch?" William seemed to be the most shocked of the three, which was reasonable considering that he had grown up around all of this.

"You're forgetting we weren't raised like you, William." Henry defended. Henry didn't quite like William as it were, and he especially didn't like him around his sister.

Earnestine smiled secretively at her brother, fondly.

"Quidditch," Tom explained, "Is like football for wizards. It is apparently our biggest and most popular sport. I am surprised that no one has filled you in on this yet, honestly."

Earnestine shrugged it off. "I haven't really been taking to many people."

Henry frowned, he sometimes wished that his sister didn't totally rely on him solely for companionship; he had hoped that them being separated would have forced her to make her own friends. Apparently she was finding it difficult.

Earnestine, avoiding her brother's gaze, asked the other two. "How do you play?"

William was shocked. "Girls can't…" He shut up in one look at Earnestine's serious and dangerous face.

"We can to." Earnestine's voice was daring him to cross her; she spoke next with her lips pursed in what was now a stubborn determination. "How do you play?"

Tom couldn't help but give the slightest smile at the girl, her constant attempts to keep up with the boys was something that defined her. Earnestine certainly wasn't going to allow her to be counted out of anything simply because of the parts she wasn't born with. "William was actually going to spend some time teaching us after lessons. You're welcome to join us, if you'd like."

"I'll be there." Earnestine promised with a slight cocky sneer in William's direction. "And I'll be twice as good as you, simply because I am a girl." Certainly William had lost a few points in Earnestine's book simply by his snide remarks, he seemed quieter than usual.

Earnestine gathered her school books and strode proudly towards the dungeon, her brown curls swinging side to side with each step, preparing herself for Potions class. All three boys followed behind her.

"Good Afternoon, students." Professor Slughorn called out to the class cheerily. Tom had taken a seat next to Earnestine, giving her a polite smile as he did so. William and Henry had seated themselves across the aisle. "Today, I will have the honor of teaching you the basics of potion making."

"Some of us don't need the basics." William sighed haughtily as he leaned back in his chair so that the front legs were off the ground. Earnestine rolled her eyes, wishing he'd simply shut up for once.

Tom, in seeing the look Earnestine had given him, slyly whipped his wand and watched in humor as William's chair flew towards the ground and William get out a girlish yelp of terror. The entire class burst out in laughter and Tom's heart gave a small flutter at the look of awe that Earnestine had just given him; he answered her with a smile.

"Keep your feet _firmly _on the ground there, William." Professor Slughorn reminded, he too had also given a small laugh at the boy's 'accident'. "Now where were we? Ah..oh yes, the basics of potion making. If everyone will kindly bring out their textbook and flip to page eighteen."

There clearly on the page, were printed instructions on how to make a very simply anti-nausea potion that had been used even by Muggles in the ancient times; until, as the brief history on the page had informed, all witchcraft had been shunned from society.

"You may work in pairs with those next to you," Professor Slughorn said as he finished his explanation to the young students. "Everything you need is right there in front of you. You may begin as soon as you are confident."

"We'll just set your book in the middle to share then?" Earnestine asked Tom with a smile.

Tom nodded, and scooted around the ingredients to make room for the book, positioning so that both students could read it clearly. "I am supposing that we should start by adding the 'Saliva of Hippogriff'?"

Earnestine shrugged clueless as she poured what they had portioned out in front of them into the small cauldron. "That sounds about right." Turning her attention back to the instructions, she pursed her lips, making the decision of how many slug boils to toss in. "There we go, 'three medium slug boils'."

"When these get done," The Professor called out over the working students, "I should be able to turn these in to Madame Pumphry in the hospital wing for use on the students."

Earnestine gave a look of nervousness. Looking down into their cauldron, this was certainly not something she would ever ingest. "I hope we are doing this right."

Tom laughed, "I think we're fine." Just then he tossed in the 'four gillyweed seeds'.

Professor Slughorn walked passed their desk, peering into the brew inside their cauldron. Earnestine felt a heat of self-conscious nervousness. The Professor called out to the students, "Come over here, everyone."

"Oh-no." Earnestine whispered desperately, "We've messed it up."

"This," exclaimed the Professor once everyone had gathered around, "Is exactly what we are looking for!" Professor Slughorn looked up at Earnestine and Tom, smiling fondly. "Very excellent job, Tom, Earnestine!"

William let out a scoff and rolled his eyes, going back to his seat; clearly not liking being shown up. Henry gave his two friends a thumbs up in approval. Earnestine smiled at him.

Earnestine let out a breath she wasn't aware that she had been holding and let out a small laugh, her brown eyes looking up to meet Tom's matching one's that were alit with the same relief that hers held. Clearly he too had been expecting failure. The two shared a smile of victory.

They had both found their partners for the year.

It didn't seem, however, like Henry and William had such good chemistry in working together. Whenever Henry would pipe in, and offer his suggestions, William would ignore them and go about doing his own thing. Their lax of understanding literally exploded directly into William's pale face as he cursed and swore like no other. Henry, though, felt as if William had simply gotten what he had been asking for.

Tom and Earnestine had the luxury of spending the rest of the class cleaning up their work area and making small talk, eventually they had been dismissed. Just before Tom and Earnestine had followed William and Henry out of the dungeon doors, Professor Slughorn called out to them. "Tom, Earnestine, may I have a moment with the two of you?"

Tom caught hold of Earnestine's arm, turning her around too. "Of course, sir."

Professor Slughorn had come over towards them and gestured towards the nearest desk for them to sit; he too took a pulled up a spare chair. "You both have shown some extraordinary potion making skills today."

"Thank you." Tom answered politely.

"There is no need to thank me for simply complementing you on what you were born with." Professor Slughorn dismissed. "I have simply wanted to invite you into a small group of students that I am forming together."

"What kind of group?" Earnestine asked.

The Professor laughed, "A group of exceptionally gifted young witches and wizards like yourselves. You two will have been the first members, of course, but it will grow as the year goes on I am sure."

Tom seemed to enjoy the idea of being special; he agreed readily. "Of course we will join." He and the Professor both gave Earnestine a look to make sure the mutual agreement was okay with her. Earnestine nodded in consent.

"Excellent." The Professor exclaimed as he stood up, leading the two pupils towards the door. "You two are the first members of the 'Slug Club'!" Both Tom and Earnestine beamed at each other as the door was closed on them. It sounded to be very exciting, being exclusive.

William and Henry had already saved the pair seats at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall for lunch. Times were different then, no one really paid mind to the formalities and labels of houses. Everyone simply blended and meshed into one another cooperatively. Times were a lot simpler in those days. Earnestine was not the only outsider to seat herself comfortable at the table.

William drawled nosily as the two had sat down, clearly envious of their attention. "So what was is Sluggy wanted to speak with you two about?"

Tom shrugged, not bothering to fill William in. "Nothing. He simply praised our good work is all." To be fair, it was partially true.

William swallowed his jealousy and spoke, clearly trying to make the three feel like lesser beings to himself. William had changed the subject back to Quidditch. "Well, it seems you three will have to be borrowing broom as clearly you haven't the money to purchase your own…no offense." Usually when people say 'no offense', they mean offense. "I mean, the school has some donated ones, but they are _ancient_, just a word of warning."

Henry rolled his eyes at William's snootiness. "William, _no offense _or anything, but being on ancient brooms won't make a difference. Usually people like you, who seem to be all cocky talk, have no substance when it comes to performance."

William looked very offended, "Meaning?"

"Meaning," Tom piped in on the game, "you aren't as good as you say you are."

William stood up, preparing for a fight. "You want to prove that?"

Earnestine gave him a snotty look, placing her hands on her hips, "Bring it."

"Very well," William motioned towards the door, "Let's do this, then." Standing up, the three children followed him, not even minding that none of them had eaten any of their food and leaving their school books behind.

When they had reached the pitch, it was crisp and chilly outside with the swift autumn air. The sun was obscured with a mixture of fog and clouds. Earnestine let loose a brief shiver at the contrast of the castle's warm atmosphere.

"Okay, Earnestine," William handed her a broom, his voice authoritative. "You're going to be working on the part of Chaser to start out. Your job is to get this ball, called a quaffle, into one of those rings." William pointed towards the three standing hoops at the end of the field.

William then turned his attention to Henry, also handing him an old broom. "Henry, you're going to be Keeper. Your job is to prevent Earnestine from successfully scoring."

"Tom," William turned his attention to the last boy, and his least favorite of his three companions. "You're going to be a beater." William took a heaver looking ball from the trunk that he had gotten out of the old shed of supplies, "This is a bludger, all you have to do is try to hit either me or Earnestine with it. Pretty simple."

Tom grinned devilishly, clearly liking the idea of being able to hit William with anything he could get away with. "What about you, what will you be doing?"

"I," William answered proudly, standing up a little straighter and adjusting his tie, "Am going to be the Seeker." William carefully took the last and smallest ball from the trunk. It was a golden ball with wings. "This is a snitch; the game of Quidditch doesn't end until this little thing is caught. If your team's seeker catches this ball, your team gets an extra one hundred and fifty points."

"Very well," Henry said curtly. "We understand the game. Let's start."

William grinned, ready for the challenge and for any chance to show off his talent for a girl. "Okay then, mount your brooms and wait for my whistle." With that, William released the snitch which had taken off into the opposite direction and flew off towards the center of the pitch.

The three remaining children all exchanged a look and copied William's actions. Once Henry had positioned himself in front of the rings, and Tom and Earnestine had joined William in the center of the pitch, William raised his arm for attention and blew the whistle signaling the start of their practice.

Tom made a whack at the bludger and aimed it directly for William's retreating figure. Earnestine had grabbed hold of the quaffle and tucked it securely under her arm, heading for Henry and determined to get it passed him. Henry had focused intently on her approaching figure, fixed on doing his job as well.

Earnestine had approached the hoops, and locked eyes teasingly with her twin brother, carefully dodging her broom from side to side in attempt to confuse him. Henry had let out a laugh, amused at his sister's childish efforts. "What are you doing?"

Earnestine saw her chance and made a shot for the lowest ring and scored. Grinning, she stuck her tongue out at her brother victorious, "Distracting you."

Henry smiled and shook his head as his sister sped off, always the good sport.

Earnestine had taken to catching up with Tom, who clearly didn't care about trying to knock Earnestine off her broom, but more focused on his frienemy William. Looking to his left he had spotted Earnestine flanking him and shot her a wink as he sped up into the sky after William.

Earnestine ducked as the bludger had traveled over her head and back to Tom, who with one swift crack, had sent it straight ahead. The only other noise was the soft thud of the ball colliding with William's back, knocking him off his broom.

Tom laughed and allowed William to fall a few feet before zooming under him and letting him land safely on the back of his broom. The look of sheer terror on William's face was completely priceless. Tom ginned mischievously at him as he clutched tightly to his side. "So you're Mr. Talented, huh?"

William didn't answer and Tom laughed once again, meeting up with Henry and Earnestine who were both also clearly amused at William's blunder. Once firmly on his two feet, William turned a bright shade of pink under his pale skin and didn't say a word to the other three, stalking off back towards the castle, humiliated.

The three remaining children gathered up all their equipment and the missing snitch, and placed them back where they had found them, following their ego bruised companion back towards the Great Hall to get ready for their next class. All three of them pink with laugher.

Henry looked down at the small piece of parchment that his sister had slipped him in the middle of their droningly boring History lesson.

_Do you think any of us our going to make the team?_

Henry thought for a moment and scribbled back, handing it over to her.

_I don't know. William had said no first years ever make it._

Earnestine replied instantly. _It doesn't seem fair though, does it?_

_ No. _Henry answered, _Perhaps William might, though._

Earnestine made a face that clearly showed that she hoped, for their sake, that he didn't. William had already been so full of himself, and being the very first first-year to have ever made the team definitely wouldn't lessen his pride.

Henry chuckled at his sister's face and whispered, "I doubt it, though. He wasn't as great as he made us think he was."

"You're telling me." Tom agreed, grinning as he thought of his triumphant moment of knocking William off his high horse. "What a pathetic wimp."

William was nowhere to be found after he had left the three on the pitch, clearly too embarrassed to show his face at the moment. Perhaps he was saving his energy for the Slytherin try-outs tonight. Henry and Tom were pulling it together and trying out as well. Earnestine had yet to decide whether or not she was going to try for the Gryffindor team the next night; leaving her decision up to whether or not any of her friends would make it.

Earnestine sighed, doodling on her parchment absentmindedly as she spoke. "For his sake, I hope they consider him. Poor guy, I don't think he could handle two embarrassments in one day."

"Eh," Henry shrugged.

"It's good for him." Tom finished. "No one should be that obsessed with themselves."

After their boring history lesson, Earnestine walked with her brother and Tom as they put their school things back in the Slytherin common room, and headed off towards the pitch to cheer her three friends on as they gave it their best shot. William had already been there and mounted on his broom, ready to retrieve his stolen glory.

Earnestine waved at him from the stands and William gave her a simple nod of acknowledgement. Henry and Tom gave him a sympathetic pat on the back as they approached showing that there were no hard feelings, still swallowing laugher. William smiled a little too.

Earnestine was glad that William clearly hadn't been too mad at them, or at least that he let it go so that things could mesh right back to normality a little easier. No one wanted to have to listen to a sour William all day long.

The Slytherin team captain was a broad shouldered, dark hair, well-built boy with a booming deep voice. When he spoke, Earnestine was able to hear him from quite a distance away as if he had been sitting right there with her. "I want to thank you all for coming out, and supporting your house so eagerly. Not everyone can make the team, regrettably, but we still want everyone to give it their best shot."

Earnestine felt a pinch of nervousness as the captain had separated all the hopefuls into miniature teams. Henry was up first as keeper and Earnestine cheered as he hadn't let one quaffle get by him. The captain seemed to admire his skill as well. "Very good eye, Gander. Very promising. Next team!"

Tom had been up next as beater, just like in practice. Tom, too, did fairly well seeing as he had just learned the game a few hours prior. Tom alone had knocked several players off trail and even a few more off their brooms completely. The team captain seemed to be eyeing the boy with astonished admiration. Earnestine was like a proud mother, both her boys overachieving on the field.

In the final group of hopefuls was William, who seemed to wear a look of new determination. Looking up at Earnestine who was wringing her hands nervously, he grinned and blew a teasing kiss. Henry and Tom rolled their eyes.

As soon as the captain had blown his whistle the final time, William took off like a bullet towards the snitch, dodging several eager quaffles along the way. Within two minutes of the mock game, William had zoomed around the captain in a circle, holding the snitch high and grinning with victory. Excited at his triumph, Earnestine leapt to her feet giving him a hearty cheer; Williams grin broadened at her little bit of attention.

The captain grinned too, "Very impressive, William. Everyone gather around, I've already made my selections." All the children walked over to where the captain had landed with a bag of numbered jerseys to hand out. "You'll get your letters before our first match. There is one open spot for chasers and beaters and room for a new keeper and seeker. For anyone who doesn't make it, I encourage you to try out again next year."

William, Tom, and Henry looked on hopefully.

"I'll make this quick for you," The captain said, suddenly grinning at four of his buddies that had shown up after his many days of begging. "Harry, Ted, Louis, and James. Congratulations, you're our new Quidditch super stars."

Earnestine leapt to her feet in outrage. Her companions had outshined all of the other prospects by a mile. Clearly this was a game of favoritism above all else. "WHAT!" She watched as her three friends stalked off sullen and ran to meet up with them.

Sighing, she wrapped her arms comfortable across the shoulders of Henry and William, playfully stepping on the back of William's feet with every other step. "Come on guys, cheer up. If it helps, you were better than everyone out there."

They said nothing.

"And that's not just me being biased. It was true."

They weren't cheering up despite her kind words. William, who had seemed to be taking it worst of all, stalked off ahead of them, muttering something along the lines of sporty mindless oafs.


	4. Chapter Three

**Disappearances**

Earnestine sighed and began to play with a loose strand of her dark hair absentmindedly. Tonight she was sitting all by her lonesome in the Gryffindor common room, supposed to be studying for a Charms examination that she knew was coming. Unfortunately, her jittery mind had much difficulty settling itself on her homework. As if giving up, Earnestine sat back deeper into the red and gold armchair and closed her eyes, enjoying the radiating heat from the flames that had been roaring in the fireplace.

If she were being honest, Earnestine wished more than anything else that she too had been sorted into Slytherin. That way she wouldn't have to spend her evenings alone. Earnestine had a difficult time keeping her mouth shut for more than a few moments, however in times like these, she was more worried about looking insane than satisfying her social needs.

Opening her eyes finally, she turned her attention back to her homework, sighing and rubbing the sleep from her eyes in a desperate attempt to focus. "Right…charms…" Earnestine was trying to proofread the words that she had already written on the large roll of parchment, but all the words seemed to be blurring into one another.

Earnestine glanced at the door in and out of the common room, pondering her sudden idea. She had known that students were not allowed to wonder the corridors after dark, and even if she had made it to the Slytherin tower, the odds of the prefects allowing her to stay for a while were very slim. Earnestine pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at the door and in making her decision suddenly, stood up and left her unfinished homework where it lay.

As soon as she had closed the door behind her the Fat Lady had awoken in her frame and called after the stray child. The lady's voice was high, shrill, and reprimanding. "Excuse me, where is it you are going after dark? Excuse me! Young Lady!"

Earnestine ignored her calls, speeding up her footsteps just in case her alarm would waken someone else. As soon as her voice could no longer be heard echoing off the stone walls, Earnestine was engulfed in darkness. Pulling out her wand, she whispered; "_Lumos._"

With her sudden bubble of light, Earnestine looked around, trying to place her surroundings. It had taken her a moment to realize what part of the castle she was in. Once she had recognized that she was at the bottom of the portrait gallery, she had taken a deep breath and quieted her footsteps so that she could travel in stealth.

After ascending a few known staircases, Earnestine had begun to hear her name being called in a whisper; "Earnestine." It had caused her breath to catch in the throat in terror, and in wheeling around to find the source, she had found it difficult as sound bounced off the wall from all directions. Stupidly, Earnestine whispered a response into the darkness, "Hello?"

The voice seemed to be more urgent when it answered; its voice was a hissed warning. "Earnestine!"

This time the voice had scared the young girl enough that she had bolted up the stairs back towards the portrait of the Fat Lady, regretting her venture all together. She had only made it a few steps when out of nowhere; _Slam!_

Earnestine had been knocked clear off her feet, collapsing to the floor. Her wand was thrown a few feet away, causing the light to go out. Earnestine had heard of string of swears from a familiar silvery voice and a hand grip onto her elbow helping her off the ground. "Was that really necessary, you chicken?" William hissed.

Earnestine let out a sigh of relief, relaxing a little. She smiled sheepishly at the boy through the illumination of his wand. "Sorry." Bending down to retrieve hers, she asked him curiously, "What are you doing walking around?"

William raised an eyebrow at her skeptically. "I could ask you the same thing." They both exchanged sarcastic looks before William gave in and offered her a valid explanation. "Tom and Henry put me up to it. They…we…need someone to help us on our Charms homework."

Earnestine smiled. "What, Mr. Awesome can't do his own homework?"

William glared. "What were you doing out?"

Earnestine shrugged nonchalantly. "Coming to find you."

William shot her another amused, sarcastic look before saying; "Really? Because you've been going the wrong direction the whole time."

"Oh." Earnestine blushed, suddenly entranced by her shoes.

William grabbed hold of her elbow, leading her back down the stairs toward Slytherin tower, he rolled his eyes and muttered bemusedly. "Women."

Earnestine made a face at the back of his blonde head.

"Look who," William began as she closed the door behind her after that had entered the Slytherin common room, "I found wondering around and breaking the rules."

Henry made an ashamed noise with his mouth as he came over and pulled his sister towards the table with a dozen rolls of crumbled up parchment sprawled over it. "Shame on you, Earnest; breaking the rules."

"Funny." Earnestine muttered, giving her brother a look. "You guys can't do your own homework?"

"I can." Tom said, giving Earnestine a shy smile as she took the empty seat next to him. "But really I think we just wanted an excuse to get you in here."

Earnestine gave a small laugh and a flattered smile, "How nice of you."

William rolled his eyes, "So are we going to get this shit done or what?"

Earnestine glared, pulling over his work to give it a look over, "Only if you agree to watch your language, Willy. You're in the presence of a lady, remember?"

William scoffed rudely. "A lady? Where? I don't see one."

Tom and Henry both grinned at the new name Earnestine had dubbed him, clearly seeing a route to tease their friend to no end. "Yeah, Willy," Tom mused.

"Watch your language, Willy," Henry finished.

William glared at his three friend's grinning faces and was suddenly very interested in doing his schoolwork for once. He opened his book, muttering someone unintelligible.

Earnestine playfully punched him on the shoulder before finally settling in and allowing all of them to finish their work for the entire week. Earnestine was surprised at what the four of them were able to accomplish once they had put their mind to it. It was sunrise before Earnestine had realized that she had better get back before the Slytherin prefects decided to come down and assign them all a detention. The last thing they had needed was more work.

Instead of heading back to her own common room; Earnestine packed up her now accomplished Charms work, bid her friends a temporary farewell, and headed towards the Great Hall for breakfast; satisfied at what she had accomplished in the all-nighter that she had just pulled.

Earnestine, although giddy, had not been blind to the urgency of the portraits in the gallery. It was clear that she had been the first one to travel the halls this morning, as she hadn't even bothered to sleep the night before. They typically brief and polite portrait holders were loud and anxious in their uproar.

Earnestine paused at one of the portraits; this one was one of a little girl and what appeared to be her older sister. Both of the little girls were wearing the same cream colored dresses and holding bouquets of wildflowers. Earnestine asked the older sister, the red-head curiously, "What is going on?"

"They've gone missing!" The red head said hurriedly. There was an unmistakable sense of panic in her voice. "I can't believe it, they've gone missing!"

"I'm sorry," Earnestine said, "but I don't understand. Who's gone missing?"

The red head pointed up, and Earnestine followed her direction up towards the portraits that had once covered the dome ceiling of the gallery. Their occupants were nowhere to be found on the mural. Earnestine turned her attention back to the two sisters. "Perhaps they are on a visit with the other portraits?"

"They never leave their frames! They can't!" They red head shouted fearfully.

"Why not?" Earnestine asked, curious.

By this time, Professor McGonagall had been awaken by the distressed cries of the portraits and had made her way out into the gallery, hurrying Earnestine away. "Miss Gander, I suggest you head to the Great Hall and get something to eat."

Looking up into the professor's eyes, Earnestine saw a glint of panic that she couldn't understand. Earnestine was about to ask her what was wrong, and demand and explanation for what had been going on, but McGonagall had managed the task of guiding the girl into the Great Hall, and closing the door.

"Peculiar," Earnestine whispered, shaking the situation out of her dark curls. She was all alone in the great hall, and chose her usual seat at the end of the Slytherin table where her friends usually joined her. Sure the situation was strange, but she couldn't see why everyone was so panicky about it. They were just paintings on a piece of canvass, how could something like this cause a crisis?

It was a long while before any other students had filed into the Great Hall, and Earnestine wasn't blind to the fact that none of them had made their way through the portrait gallery. Earnestine simply couldn't understand what was going on.

Earnestine jumped slightly when there were noises suddenly beside her, turning around she saw her brother and her friends take their usual seats, and she let out a breath of relief. "Oh...it's you guys."

William jerked his thumb in the direction of the locked door to the Portrait Gallery. "What's going on in there?"

Earnestine, eager to express to them what she had just witnessed, lowered her voice so that only they could hear her. "Apparently some of the people in the portraits on the ceiling have gone missing. For some reason, it is some sort of big deal."

They had all mirrored her expression on confusion and turned to face the door at the same time. "What do you reckon that means?" Henry asked.

"I don't know," Earnestine confessed. "I spoke to a red headed lady in one of the other portraits, she told me that they couldn't simply be visiting other portraits like others sometimes do, you know?" She waited for the three of them to nod so that she knew that they were following what she was saying to them. "She said those particular portraits, for some reason that she didn't get to before McGonagall rushed me away, cannot leave their frames."

"Why?" Tom asked, furrowing his brow at the brown table, "What is so special about those portraits?"

Earnestine shrugged, "All I know is that all the other portraits seemed panicked and scared. It was really weird."

"You don't think those portraits could be dangerous do you?" William asked tentatively.

Tom scoffed a little at the suggestion. "Please Willy, how could a portrait be dangerous?"

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat and the four of them fell silent, turning around to see a stern Professor McGonagall standing behind them. When she spoke her voice was very formal. "Professor Dumbledore would like to have a moment with Miss Gander alone, if you don't mind."

The three looked at Earnestine worriedly. Earnestine took a reassuring breath and hoisted herself away from the table, exiting the Great Hall with the Professor. When they were traveling the long path towards the Headmaster's office, Earnestine spoke nervously. "I…Professor McGonagall…am I…did I do something…wrong?"

McGonagall did not turn to face the child, "There are just some questions as to you whereabouts last night, Miss Gander, and Professor Dumbledore just wants to know where you were and if you had seen, or heard, something…out of the ordinary going on."

"I…I can assure you…" Earnestine began, but she was interrupted when the Professor had spoken a password into a statue, and ushered Earnestine into a hole that had appeared.

"Just be honest, Earnestine," McGonagall warned. "Accept any punishments you may be given for wrong, but be honest."

"But...I...I didn't do anything…" Earnestine insisted desperately. Her plea was distorted as she had begun an assent into the Headmaster's office.

Earnestine had felt a terrible knot growing in the pit of her stomach. She had the feeling that she was going to be blamed for the missing portraits, even though she had nothing to do with the terrible disappearances. Silently she wished that she had stayed put last night.

Once the moving platform had stopped, she stood eye to eye with the kind Headmaster that she hadn't seen since that day back at her Aunt and Uncle's when he had told her and Henry all about this school and solved the mystery of what they were. "Welcome Miss Gander. Please, take a seat."

Dumbledore motioned to the seat in front of his large desk, peering over his half-moon glasses. Earnestine gulped and strode forward, setting herself down nervously. "Sir…I…"

Dumbledore held up his hand, quieting her. "I know that you are not responsible for those missing portraits, Earnestine, let me assure you."

Earnestine breathed a sigh of relief, and Dumbledore continued. "I do know, however, that you were out of your dormitory last night, wondering the corridors."

"How did you..?"

"The Fat Lady," Dumbledore explained, "She ratted you out as it were, in a panic, of course. Usually I don't need her to tell me when students chose to venture on their own."

Earnestine blushed and looked at her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry for breaking the rules, Professor, I was just…"

"Going to visit your friends," Dumbledore finished with a smile. Earnestine gave him an amazed look before Dumbledore explained, "I have been watching you, Earnestine, and I knew from the first day that you were going to have a difficult time staying put, as it were, in the Gryffindor house."

"I just…I…"

"Don't want to be separated from your brother, or your friends."

Earnestine sighed and nodded, not looking at the Headmaster.

"Don't be embarrassed, Earnestine. I understand your situation." Dumbledore reassured her, "In fact, I was often in your situation back when I attended Hogwarts myself. I soon found that people had a difficult time accepting me in my own house, and I found most of my fond company in Ravenclaw, mind you."

"Do you think the Sorting Hat was wrong with me?" Earnestine asked, hopeful, "Can you move me to Slytherin?"

"That wouldn't be fair, now would it?" Dumbledore asked.

Earnestine dejected her gaze once more, embarrassed. "No . It wouldn't be." Suddenly, Earnestine remembered why it was that she was here in the first place. "Sir? Why is everyone so panicked about those disappearing portraits?"

For a moment, Earnestine didn't think that Dumbledore was going to answer her question. After all, she was simply a student. He had taken her off guard when he took a breath and told her the answer to her question honestly. "Those occupants to those portraits, Miss Gander, did not choose to be placed in them."

"What do you mean, Sir?" Earnestine had believed that once anyone at Hogwarts died they had been placed inside those charmed canvasses. She believed, like many others, that those portraits were just a part of wizarding life.

"Those portraits, Earnestine," Dumbledore clarified gently, "were portraits of Dark Wizards who had been killed in this school for trying to bewitch students into doing terrible things….and now…it seems that they are on the loose."


	5. Chapter Four

**Bait and Hook**

"Dangerous?" Tom asked as soon as Earnestine had finished relaying what Dumbledore had told her. Earnestine had met up with her friends in the library and she was now gathering all the information the school had on the portraits, especially the ones of the dark wizards.

Earnestine dropped another pile of books onto the table that was already completely covered with others like them. Earnestine pulled out a chair and dove straight in to the book on the top of the towering pile, "Yes that's what it sounds like. I think Dumbledore, and the other teachers for that matter, believe that we all may be in trouble."

"Do you reckon they are after the students?" Henry asked.

"I mean, how do we know them when we see them?" William piped in, looking from the book he had been reading intently. "Are they going to be, this may sound incredibly stupid, like flat parchment people, or fully able and human like?"

"I don't know," Earnestine sighed, "There is so much mystery to it."

"Whatever it is, it is getting a lot of attention," Tom noted, "It must really be dark, dark magic; otherwise, why all the worry?"

"What I want to know," Earnestine continued, "Is how they got out, and more importantly, what they had done in the first place."

"History has a way of repeating itself," Henry agreed with his sister, "Perhaps they are going to use the same antics as last time..."

"And if we could figure out what exactly that was…" William's eyes lit up.

"Then we can head them off." Tom beamed.

William gave a pondering look, admiring the idea and popping his white collared shirt arrogantly, "I could enjoy the idea of being worshiped like a hero."

Earnestine rolled her eyes and tossed another large book onto the table in front of him, "You have to study like one first, Willy, so shut your mouth and read."

Quite a number of hours had passed between the children of hard work, and their attempts had grown way into the night. None of them had cared that they had missed an entire day of lessons inside the library. Tom eventually looked up from over the top of a terribly thick book towards his friends, "Anyone having any luck?"

Henry and William both shook their heads and closed the books that they had been pawning through. Earnestine, however, had written down an entire roll of parchment full of facts that she had believed may have been useful to them. "I've found a number of things, I just don't know if they are exactly relevant."

Tom stood up and walked around so that he was standing over her shoulder, glancing down at her neat writing. "Like what?"

William and Henry had made their way to see as well.

Earnestine took a breath and read off the first thing she had written down, "Well, it said in Notable Dark Wizards, that in 1793 five dark wizards had broken into the castle in an attempt to steal something that had been hidden inside it's protective walls."

"What would be hidden here that a bunch of dark wizards would be looking for?" Henry asked, "It's a school for of children."

"Well," Earnestine continued, searching through her notes, "I dug a little deeper, and I came across the name Nicolas Flamel. Apparently Mr. Flamel was an alchemist born in the year 1327."

"What's so special about an old dead guy?" William asked.

"That's the thing, William, Nicolas Flamel isn't dead." Earnestine finished.

"What do you mean?" Tom asked, paying close attention.

"That man would have to be more than six hundred years old," Henry added in misunderstanding.

"Well, if you guys would show some patience and let me finish explaining," Earnestine hissed and continued on after they fell silent and listened. "Nicolas Flamel was best known for creating the Philosopher's Stone."

"The what?" Henry asked.

"You heard her," William laughed, "A bloody rock. Pfft, this is a waste of time."

"Would you two shut it and let her finish!" Tom complained.

"Thank you," Earnestine said curtly to Tom before continuing on in her explanation. "The Philosopher's Stone became famous and extremely sought after because the elixir that it produces can offer the partaker everlasting life."

"Ahhh!" William finally swallowed his pride to listen in as the last part had interested him. "I can see why those blokes would have been after that." William glanced at Tom and they had both given a look that appeared like scheming.

"Don't even think about it, boys." Earnestine shot them a warning, tracing their thoughts to their likely place, "We are going to protect this stone, if that is what they are after, not partake in the crime of stealing it."

"Oh, Earnestine," William sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "Poor, innocent, uncorrupted, Earnestine."

Earnestine rolled her eyes and promptly removed his arm. "I don't care what you think, William, it is wrong and I certainly am not going to aid you in kidnapping a precious artifact."

"Why hide it in Hogwarts?" Tom asked suddenly.

"I asked myself that too," Earnestine continued, reading on down her list of research, "And apparently Hogwarts is surrounded by loads of protective enchantments, most nearly impenetrable. There isn't a safer place in the world to hide something away."

"Yes, but if they nearly retrieved it last time…" Tom began.

"Nearly," Henry corrected, "They never actually reached it."

"There is one thing that worries me, though." Earnestine took a breath before allowing herself to voice her idea. "I don't think there is any real way to keep it from these escapees, I mean, they are already in the castle as we speak."

"How do we know they haven't already found it?" William agreed, sitting himself back down in his seat, chewing the idea.

"How do we find it?" Tom piped up, "Where is it hidden?"

"No book is going to tell us where it's hidden, Tom. That defies the whole point of keeping it safe." Earnestine reminded.

"Then how are we supposed to protect it?" Henry asked his sister.

With that Earnestine shook her head, signaling that she had shared with them everything that she had known, and they all three exchanged searching looks, desperate for the answers that none of them knew.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Wondering around at night again?" Tom had snuck up on Earnestine for the third time this week, and this time she didn't jump with fright at the sudden whispers that stalked her. While she knew it was breaking the rules, she simply couldn't convince herself to go to sleep with dark wizards on the loose in the school and knowing exactly what they were after.

The teachers had not let any of the Hogwarts students in on this little secret as to prevent from inducing a panic around the school; instead each day had worn on like normal. All of that bothered the four friends almost as much as the fear that ate at them.

"Can't sleep," Earnestine muttered in reply. In fact, Earnestine had taken to using her nights to explore the castle, not leaving any room or corridor unsearched. She would have done this during the day, but her marks were beginning to lax.

Tom knew all too well what Earnestine was up to, "Dumbledore said we shouldn't meddle in this, Earnest."

Earnestine gave him a sour look, "Since when do you care about the rules?"

"I don't." Tom said plainly. Liking the moment of alone time with his friend, he sighed, giving in to her antics, "Where are we searching tonight?"

Earnestine turned around and gave Tom a small smile and pointed upwards. "The third floor in the West corridors, I've already searched the entire first and second floors and all the obvious, most traveled places."

Tom sighed, shrugging and giving the pretty young girl a small laugh, trying to make a joke of the matter. "I guess the only way to go is up then."

While traveling up the long flight of stairs, Tom turned towards Earnestine and for the first time that week, had really gotten a good look at her. Earnestine, feeling his gaze on her face stopped and turned to him, "What's wrong?"

Tom, unable to stop himself, shook his head and took a pale finger, gently tracing the dark circles that had found their way onto her eyes from a week's lack of rest. Tom whispered to her, "You really need some sleep."

Earnestine had felt a strangely nervous feeling growing in her stomach as he touched her, and she once again started forward blushing and getting back to business, "That can come later. Come on, Tom. We've got a stone to find."

Since the third floor was forbidden to students, naturally they had come to a locked door as soon as they had come onto the landing. "Damn," Tom cursed lightly. "It's locked."

Earnestine, being clever, had simply whipped out her wand and pointed towards the lock, tapping it three times and whispering the spell that she had read in one of her school textbooks. "_Alohomora_." Automatically, they had heard the door lock click ajar and Tom looked at his female companion in amazement. Earnestine shrugged simply and pushed open the door that let out to the passageways of the forbidden floor.

"This place doesn't look like anything dangerous," Tom noted, looking about the hallways. Tom had been right; the hallways on the third floor didn't appear to house anything terrible. In fact, it seemed to be much the same as all the other floors.

Earnestine had stopped at the first door, tackling each one-by-one. The doors were all unlocked so there was no need for the use of her wand. This room seemed to be some sort of trophy room, holding dozens of gold and silver cups. Finding nothing of interest in the room, Earnestine closed the door.

Tom and Earnestine agreed to each take every other door so as to end their investigation faster and in turn to lessen their chances of being caught and landing themselves in detention. After all, they needed all the free nights that they could manage.

"Earnestine!" Tom hissed from the next room after their had both searched about six others. "Come look!"

Earnestine bolted into the room, chocolate eyes lit up with the hope of success, "Did you find it?" Earnestine had to struggle with herself to keep her voice low.

"No, but look at this." Tom turned back around to face a giant mirror that was towering in front of him. Earnestine could see from his reflection that his dark eyes were filled to the brim with longing and admiration.

"It's just a mirror, Tom," Earnestine began to head out of the room, "We need to keep looking for the Philosopher's Stone."

Earnestine was stopped by Tom's whisper, "You don't get it, you have to see this."

Sighing irritably, Earnestine came back into the room and stood directly behind Tom, seeing a perfectly ordinary reflection. Earnestine had opened her mouth to ask him what exactly it was that she was supposed to be seeing that was so special, but then Tom moved so that he wasn't obscuring her view anymore.

That is when two completely unexplainable things happened at once. The Earnestine in the mirror had reached into the right pocket that was tucked away into her gray pleated skirt and revealed a stone, a smooth red stone. In the instant that the reflection had placed the stone back in the pocket, Earnestine had felt her own weight down with something. Earnestine gasped.

"What do you see?" Tom asked her curiously.

Earnestine looked at him, amazed. Reaching slowly into her pocket, her small hands grasped around something hard and cool and she carefully took it out; revealing the much sought after Philosopher's Stone.

Tom's eyes widened and mirrored her own. "How.."

Earnestine's shocked expression broke into one of triumph and she smiled broadly at her friend. Grabbing onto his arm and tugging him back towards the staircase, she spoke excitedly, "We've done it Tom, we've found what their searching for. We have to get back and tell the other's."

Tom was totally perplexed at the events that had unfolded. When Tom had looked into that mysterious mirror, all he had seen was himself watching the world age while his own age stood still and had watched as countless people stood worshiping at his feet.

But when Earnestine had looked in the mirror, all she had received was the stone. It had seemed impossible for him to grasp ahold of. There was something about that mirror….there was some trick to it….

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Now that we've got the bloody thing," William asked hushed the next morning during breakfast, his mouth half stuffed with a biscuit, "What are we supposed to do with it?"

William looked at Tom, but Tom seemed to be more lost in his own thoughts than going along with the group's conversation.

Henry was the one to answer him, "I don't know, but we certainly can't go around telling people that we've found it, and we certainly can't act suspicious."

"Right," William agreed as he swallowed his rather large bite, "We wouldn't want to draw the wrong sort of attention. I mean, those dark wizards on the loose looking for it…" William trailed off with a rather terrified look.

It was at that moment that the plan had dawned on the young girl who, like Tom, had been remaining more reserved than normal. Earnestine perked up and gathered her things from the table, kissing William on the top of the head as a thank you. "That's it!"

William stared after her dumbfounded and admiring, mouth crammed full of food that was now hanging ajar and a hint of pink to his pale cheeks.

Tom was now glaring at William enviously, chewing his food a little more viciously.

And Henry was the one to call after her, standing up and chasing her down. "I don't get it, Earnest. What's it?"

Earnestine didn't slow her pace to allow an easy conversation with her brother; she was too excited with her idea. "They come looking for the stone, which in turn means them coming to look for us."

Henry seemed appalled, "You mean suicide."

Earnestine shook her head and shocked Henry with a laugh, "No, Henry. I mean like a game: Bait and Hook as it were."

Henry stopped in his tracks, not quite understanding his sister's stupidity. The idea of luring a group of dangerous dark wizards straight to a group of helpless school children, much less a girl, seemed like a terribly thick idea.

However, there was no stopping the determined Earnestine, whom in her head this game had already been started, and she had already planned out her strategy.


	6. Chapter Five

**The Battle for the Stone**

"Henry, I think you're sister's gone mad," William noted cynically as the four friends were spending the night on the lookout on the third floor. Both Tom and William were very reluctantly to risk their lives protecting something that they would have much rather selfishly have kept for themselves.

Henry, too, didn't agree with Earnestine's plan, but he cared too much about his sister to have allowed her to give it a go alone, and so he had forced the other two along, offering them both hollow promises of his sister's eternal affections.

"I can hear you, Willy," Earnestine called back at him from a few doors down. Each of the children had agreed to take cover in separate doorways looking out for anything odd. "You do know that?"

"'Course I know that," William answered, "That was the bloody point. I simply cannot believe that a sane person would have put her friends up to this."

"I never asked any of you to help," Earnestine retorted stubbornly. "However, it would have been a bit challenging to accomplish on my own."

"Knock it off, both of you." Henry hissed irritably. "I am getting sick of your constant bickering." Henry rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the empty halls of the forbidden corridor. It was plain that if any of the Hogwarts staff were to see them hunkering down in the halls, they would most like be given detention for the rest of year.

That was definitely not one of the things that the children had planned for.

Tom turned around from three doors in front of the young girl, asking curiously. "So what exactly are we going to do once they get here? Have you studied up on anything that is going to aid a bunch of first years against a group of experienced dark wizards?"

"No," Earnestine admitted with a slight frown, she had never really thought about it like that. "I was actually just going to wing it."

"Translation," William began sarcastically, "We're screwed."

Earnestine sighed, swallowing another nasty remark and focusing hard on the wall opposite her. Secretly she had wished she could get away with shooting a nasty curse straight at his nose.

As the hours drew on, William's constant stream on insults were replaced slowly by his shallow breathing of an exhausted sleep. Looking around, Earnestine saw that Henry too had given into sleep. Tom Riddle, too, was barely awake.

Standing up, Earnestine moved over towards him and sat down beside his shadowy body. "Are you tired?" She asked him stupidly.

Tom gave the girl a small smile, "A little, not too bad though." Tom looked at her intently, questioning, "What about you?"

Earnestine lied, "I'm fine," however a small yawn gave her away.

Tom smiled fondly, "You can take a nap, Earnest, I'll stay on the lookout."

Earnestine shook her head stubbornly, "It's too risky. If something happens…."

Tom nodded, knowing that it was pointless to argue with the headstrong girl, "Okay, okay. It's up to you."

Earnestine relaxed a little and leaned her head onto his shoulder, making herself comfortable. There was no sign of danger and there hadn't been any all night. Feeling proven wrong, Earnestine felt stupid.

Perhaps all of this was pointless; perhaps there was nothing dangerous roaming about Hogwarts at all. The thoughts brought Earnestine to the point of defeat. Her voice was faint when she spoke up to Tom, masked with sleep. "I was wrong, Tom. There isn't anyone coming."

Tom secretly agreed with the girl, but hearing the pain in her voice, he spoke soothingly. "You don't know that, Earnestine. Perhaps they are out there, just biding their time."

Earnestine gave a small laugh at his failed attempt of consolation. "Thanks for the try, Tom; however, that doesn't change the fact that I weaseled my way, and the three of you, into this whole mess only to find out that I was wrong in the first place."

Earnestine could feel Tom's lips snake downwards into a frown. The silence that had grown through the corridors and between the pair was only noticeable by the obnoxious snores that came from William's sleeping figure.

Earnestine took a deep breath and snaked her hands and arms around Tom's elbow, nestled her mane of dark brown locks deeper into his shoulder, and for the first time in nearly a week, gave into the sleep that overcame her.

"Guys, guys," Earnestine had faintly heard the voice echo in through her ears and someone's prodding hands shaking her awake. "Guys, wake up, I heard something." Opening her eyes and allowing them to adjust, she saw that pale face of an anxious William.

"W-what is it?" Earnestine yawned, unlacing her body from Tom's, who too was just waking up, and stretching the exhaustion back towards the lock of her mind. "Where?"

William immediately had pointed towards the door that they had relocked to the staircase, "Just a few seconds ago, footsteps." William took Earnestine by the arm and hoisted her up off the stone floor, not appreciating her extremely close proximity to Tom.

"It's probably a teacher," Henry noted as he too appeared to have just been awaken by all the commotion William had been making.

Earnestine approached the locked door cautiously, trying to make her footsteps inaudible. Turning around to quiet everyone else so as to investigate, "Shhh! Let me just…." Earnestine had kept a firm grip on the end of her wand and the other on the stone that rested safely in her pocket as she tip toed towards the door.

"_Bombarda Maxima!_" The shout from the other side of the door was high, shrill, and accented. Just as the last syllable had been pronounced the entire wall imploded. Earnestine immediately shrieked in shock and a strong gust of wind and debris knocked her plumb onto her backside.

Henry immediately rushed to his sister's side, lifting her out of the way of a large falling stone. His eyes were full of concern, but his hand never wavered from his wand. "Are you alright?"

There was no time to answer. As the smoke from the debris had begun to clear, five figures had begun to form in the now absent wall. Five large, adult, dark figures. As the largest one took steps towards her, Earnestine had scooted her body backwards towards her friends in fear, grabbing her wand just as she remembered to.

The figure laughed deeply, and evil chuckle as he surveyed the team of terrified children. "Well, well, well…what is it we have here?" The man's grey eyes peered coldly into Earnestine's fear filled chocolate ones. He spat directly next to her, "Children."

The man, who clearly was the leader, turned to his four companions, shooting the final order casually. "Kill the others. This one is mine."

With those words, William stood tall and surprisingly marched towards the tall broad man bravely. William's words were determined and strong, "Like hell."

The man laughed coldly, causing the hairs on Earnestine's body to stand on end. This man was purely evil. "It seems we've got a pair. What's your name boy?"

William raised his wand, and instead of answering him straight away, answered him with a blinding curse. "_Ruptispecktis!_" The man's eyes immediately glazed over and he let loose a yelp of pain, caressing his eyes gingerly. William gave a characteristic charming smirk, clearly pleased with his work. "The name is Malfoy, William Malfoy."

As soon as he had lifted Earnestine to her feet chivalrously, the curses had shot out like wildfire. There was no time to thank the typically selfish boy for his act of kindness, as now she was more for saving her own skin.

"These guys just don't know when to give up," Henry gasped as he had just nearly dodged a killing curse. The minutes of constant battling had begun to tally up, and there was no sign of either victory or defeat.

While he had been facing Tom, another killing curse was aimed at him. Tom swiftly lunged at Henry's knees, just barely knocking him out of the way. Henry stood up, dancing off towards the culprit, shouting back at him casually, "Thanks, mate!"

Earnestine had grown tired of seeing her friends just barely surviving by the skin of their teeth; she knew exactly what he had to do. Diving her hands deeply into her pockets, she grasped onto the stone they had so desperately wanted and revealed it to the leader flashily. Earnestine's breath hitched in terror as his steely grey eyes had once again drilled into her own; "It's me. I have what you want."

The leader had held up his hand, and suddenly his followers had ceased their curses and drew themselves closer to him, listening intently as he spoke. The man once again laughed his terrible laughed and approached the small girl slowly. "So brave for such a young lady…tsk, tsk, tsk...such a shameful thing to waste…" As soon as the man was within reach of her, he held out his hand palms up so as to ask for it, expecting that her revealing it had simply meant that she was going to merely hand it over. "Hand it here, young lady. You and your friends have put up a brave fight."

Instead Earnestine swallowed her fear of pain, her terror of death, and held her chin high, shaking her head in disagreement. Always having been one to obey adult authority, she spoke against her own nature. Her words were firm, whatever the consequences she would have to behold. "No."

The man stepped back, shocked by her outright stubborn disobedience. "Excuse me?"

Once again, Earnestine took a deep breath and swallowed any fear and any conscious nagging thoughts of wavering, "I said no."

The man smirked a devilish smirk and grasped hold tight of his wand, raising it to the young girl's forehead. The man took hold of the girl by her neck, raising her totally off the ground.

Earnestine closed her eyes, facing her fate bravely.

The words echoed out of his mouth hollowly, though it had surprised her completely that the voice was not that of the shallow man's, it was very familiar. "_Crucio_."

Earnestine hadn't been familiar with the curse, but it sounded quite terrible. As soon as the words were spoken, the tightly clasped hands around her neck had disappeared and once again her feet met the floor gratefully.

Gasping for air, she had opened her eyes to meet her rescuer and had seen none other than Tom Riddle standing over the man who was now howling in excruciating pain. The look in that man's grey eyes had been scary, no doubt, but the look that now dominated Tom Riddle's dark eyes was downright frightening.

Earnestine gasped, her hand shooting up to her mouth in fear, this time of her friend. Henry and William had already disarmed their other opponents and were now binding them up so as to hinder their escape. As soon as they had completed that, Henry was loyally standing at his sister's side as William tore Tom away from the task of torturing the leading man.

"Are you alright?" Henry's worried eyes glanced over his sister fiercely, "Have you been hurt?" As soon as his sister had shaken her head in response, Henry engulfed her in a grateful embrace, glad that she had made it through the ordeal unscathed.

They had barely a moment to collect themselves and celebrate, as there were another group of hurried footsteps careening up the staircase. The four children braced themselves for another round of fighting.

Earnestine hadn't missed how Tom had positioned himself so that he had been standing protectively in front of her, and she had felt her heart twinge strangely.

"Merlin's beard!" They heard the familiar old voice ring out, both shocked and concerned as his blue eyes laid on the four intact children. "Are you four alright?"

The group of children relaxed considerably as Professor Dumbledore approached them, knowing now that the worst was over and done with. Tom was the one who spoke for the tongue-tied other three, he didn't move from his protective perch in front of the young girl however. "We're fine, sir."

"Well..." Dumbledore began carefully, "Miraculous as that may be, I will still be needed a word with all of you in my office straight away."

William had given the entire scene a glace over and looked at Dumbledore, questions dancing in his eyes.

Dumbledore answered the silent quiz. "The dementors of Azkaban Prison have been notified to come and well…give these five gentlemen a little kiss, as it were. And as soon as they are off the premises, I will assure you that the forbidden corridors will be returned to their former glory." Dumbledore turned his baby blue eyes towards Earnestine, holding out his hand for the stone he had known she now possessed. "If I may, my dear."

Earnestine maneuvered her way around Tom and gladly placed the red stone in the Headmaster's hand. Dumbledore only spoke once he had the stone safely in his pocket. "I best be finding this a new hiding place, not that I don't trust you four to keep the previous one secret."

"And now," Dumbledore began again, this time his tone a lot less airy. "To the business of punishment." William's face was one of shock and Dumbledore held up a hand to block his impending protests. "After all, you students have repeatedly been breaking the rules here, and to be fair, I must act accordingly."

All four of the students braced themselves for the worst. Dumbledore spoke, getting it over with. "Fifty points from each house, for each student."

The children breathed a sigh of relief before he spoke again. "And, regrettably, detention for the rest of the years duration."

There was a shared sea of groaning.

"Ah, ah, ah," Dumbledore continued teasingly. "I'm not finished just yet. You see, I also feel as you students should also be rewarded for your grand act of bravery that you have displayed this evening and the evenings previous. Sure you have broken the rules, but you did so with the best of intentions. Therefore, I reward one hundred points per house, per student."

Everyone smiled and thanked him gratefully except William, "But what about those detentions, sir?"

Dumbledore smiled at the greedy boy fondly, turning around to head for the castle's main entrance, awaiting the arrival of the dementors. As he strode down the stairs he called out one final command to the students, "Back to your dormitories, students. You've earned this nights rest well."


	7. Chapter Six

**The Hogwarts Express Again**

Earnestine sighed and took one last good look at Gryffindor Tower. It was hard to believe that their entire first year had blown by so quickly, even if the majority of it had been spent in detention with various teachers. Earnestine was glad that when they were assigned time with Professor Slughorn, the children were given snacks and told loads of great stories starring the Professor or many of his favorite students.

As all four of the children were regarded as heroes as word had spread like wildfire around the castle of their brave acts in the forbidden corridor, Professor Slughorn pounced on adding Henry and William to his little club of children as well.

The other teachers, too, were not so hard on the children. In fact, they had spent more time hitting the books in detention than they had the entire school year spent in their regular classes. All of that hard work put the students at the top of their class.

Once most of the students had heard of the brave young children, the four of them suddenly became among the most popular children attending Hogwarts. Earnestine was amazed that in traveling back to the Gryffindor common room the night after what had happened had been announced at dinner, everyone was suddenly very kind and talkative towards her. All of the attention seemed to bring back a little of the girls shy side.

All of the boys were offered a spot of the Slytherin Quidditch team promptly, but still being scorn by being turned down the first time, they stubbornly refused. Earnestine was almost sure that they were going to make the team next year.

Everything that year had turned out perfectly, a thought that had made Earnestine smile to herself. To think that a year ago she had no idea this place even existed. Now it had seemed hard to imagine life without it. What was she going to do a summer without Hogwarts?

Taking one last look around the red and gold common room, Earnestine set down her trunk and owl along with all the other students' belongings and headed for the portrait hole, both saddened and excited about the future. Before this year Earnestine never would have believed that she could have possible fit in anywhere.

The corridors and hallways of the castle were bustling with students all saying their fond goodbyes and farewells, some for the last time. The air about the place mirrored that of what the young girl felt herself knowing that she too would have to face saying goodbye to two of the three people in this world that she had grown to feel attached to.

First there was William Malfoy, that tall and lanky pale boy who had always seemed to be, at first, totally self-concerned. However he had tried to conceal it, William had a soft side for the very slim number of students that he could call his friends. Despite himself, William had demonstrated it that night on the forbidden corridor when he willingly stood between Earnestine and that leading dark wizard, despite any forlorn danger to himself.

And then there was Tom, dear old Tom Riddle. Ever since her first day here, since that fateful train ride to this mysterious place, Earnestine had felt something inside herself reach out to that quiet and mysterious young boy. Tom had not let her down in her affections either, whenever Earnestine needed his polite reassurance or his careful cheering up, Tom was loyally by her side. It was a trait that Earnestine admired in him.

As she had thought of the two of them, she had felt a lump threatening in her throat midstride. Earnestine refused to let that fear of goodbye threaten her composure, she was not going to cry in public; not when everyone here at Hogwarts regarded her as that 'strong' and 'fearless' first year.

When she had finally managed to make it to her final feast in the grand Great Hall without a tear spilling over her chocolate eyes, she let out a sigh of relief, closing it all in. This was meant to be a joyous occasion. After all, she was really going to have to say goodbye until her departure from Kings Cross station, it had at least bought her a few hours of comfort.

Earnestine had no trouble spotting her three companions easily and all three of them greeted her upon first sight with smiles. Once again she had felt that disastrous lump returning to her throat, but reminded herself that this wasn't really goodbye.

Smiling as she took her usual seat next to her brother she spoke her opening words, "Good morning, boys." Normally she would have reached for her usual breakfast toast, but that uneasy feeling in her stomach swallowed all trace of hunger. Instead she opted for a less filling glass of two percent milk.

None of the boys seemed to have a real appetite either, apart from William who still was stuffing his face as was normal of him. William noticed her empty plate and pushed a buffet tray towards her, offering her with a mouth crammed full, "Toast?"

Earnestine gave a little laugh and held up her hands shaking her dark mahogany curls, "No thank you, William. I'm not too hungry right now."

William shrugged, "What the hell is wrong with you people? There are kids in…"

Tom threw his friend a piece of bacon, stopping his cliché, "Oh just shut up and eat, would you? Spare us those phony parental pieces of sh-crap." The boys had taken to politely trying to censor their swears whenever Earnestine was around them; well, except William of course.

"What are your guys' plans for the summer?" Earnestine asked Tom and William, already aware of the uneventful and torturous summer that she and Henry were going to be subjected to.

William was first to willingly divulge his plans, "Mum and Dad have offered to take me on a full tour of France and Italy. Nothing grand, of course, only five star dining and parties in our many private mansions…." William trailed off and then his pale silver eyes brightened with hopefully questions, "Do you guys think you'll be able to join us?"

Henry sighed wishfully, "Sadly no. Our aunt and uncle aren't…well…" He looked to his sister to complete his lost worded statement.

"They aren't exactly too fond of the idea of the two of us…enjoying ourselves." Earnestine clarified gently, "Especially if we would be spending it much, much more lavishly than their means."

William made a rude noise with his tongue instead of voicing his distaste. Afterwards of gathering up his manners again, he turned to Tom. "What about you?"

Tom answered after a moment of cool deliberation. "Actually I have my own plans for the summer." As he had looked up to meet three pairs of curious eyes, he elaborated a little more. "I have given some thought to possibly finding my father."

William's face scrunched up in obvious disagreement, rudely he asked, "Why in Merlin's name would you want to do that? The filthy muggle."

Tom glared at him coldly, his dark brown eyes being swallowed up in a deep loathing, "The only filthy one here is you. You and your pureblood disgusting prejudice."

"Ha." William snorted haughtily. "Tell me, Tom, where has your father been these last twelve years of your life, eh? The bloody prat wanted nothing to do with you or your filthy mother, did he?"

Tom stood up and drew his wand menacingly, "Don't you dare say another damn word about him or my mother, Malfoy. You know nothing more of them than I do, and if you say another derogatory thing about my blood status, I'll hex you to the next century."

William looked as if he was about to test the waters on Tom's threat, however Earnestine stepped in, "Guys, this is our last meal together until September. Can we please enjoy it without any bickering? I don't want this to be our last memory of each other."

William went back to his food grumbling. Tom still stood with his wand drawn, a dark look in his eyes. Earnestine stared at him gently, "Tom…please…"

Tom finally caught hold of the pleaded in her chocolate brown pools and sighed, slowly lowering his wand and rejoining the table. Now, however, there was a very pregnant pause among the friends.

Growing tired of the awkwardness, Earnestine finally managed to word a question. "Where do you believe your father is, Tom?"

Tom glanced up from his untouched food; his voice was very unconcerned when he answered. "I don't know yet, exactly. I've asked Dumbledore for permission to borrow some books on wizarding families and their histories, and he said he'd allow it. I'm hoping there are some clues in there somewhere."

Earnestine's eyes lit up at the idea. "Do you think there would be something about our family in those books too?"

Tom looked into her excited eyes and couldn't hide a small smile from appearing briefly on his pale face. "Yeah, I'd suppose so."

"You'll write to us about it, won't you?" Earnestine asked gleefully, "I mean not just about us and our history, but if you find anything out about your own?"

Once again, Tom gave the girl another fleeting smile and a small promise, unable to remain angry around the typically bubbly girl. "Of course."

After a few minutes more of breakfast, the food had magically cleared signaling that it was indeed time for the students to begin their walk to Hogsmeade to board the train and return home. That teasing lump had again appeared into her throat. At seeing the look in his sister's eyes, Henry took her small hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

William didn't seem at all saddened by his departure. He was the first to leap up from the table, straightening his clothes and saying as he strode off confidently. "I get to pick our seats."

Henry chuckled at stood up, ready to go after him. "And I better rein him in before he gets into a fight with a prefect and earns us all another years' worth of detention before we even make it off the platform."

Earnestine and Tom both laughed a little as they exchanged temporary farewells with the boy, both lingering a little at the table. Tom's life, too, was nothing that he was incredibly eager to get back to. If anyone knew what Earnestine was feeling in this moment, it was Tom.

Earnestine was too busy swallowing that nauseous feeling that she hadn't noticed when Tom had appeared right next to her. Slowly he took hold of her hand and smiled reassuringly when she jumped a little at the sudden, mind jolting, contact. "I was dreading this day, you know. Summer." Tom's voice was quiet and careful.

It was a moment before he spoke again, "It sounds crazy, hating the idea of being away from school, abnormal even. But it is nice knowing that someone understands that."

Earnestine muttered, "Tell me about it." And just as those words escaped her lips, Tom lifted her to her feet and away from the Slytherin dining table. Earnestine finished her statement as Tom's dark eyes dove into hers. "Mr. and Mrs. Monte aren't exactly the kind of people you want to spend day in and day out with. It is kind of hard to believe that I never knew any different before this year….I had thought I was doomed to that attic forever."

Earnestine had looked down at their innocently intertwined hands. Tom and her had ever been the same since that night of battle, and it was something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Whatever it was between them that had ignited, she liked the way it had made her feel. Safe. At the thought, Earnestine smiled a little and she felt that prickling in her eyes that only gravity had pulled out, exposing her emotional moment.

Earnestine didn't have to meet Tom's eyes to see that fond smile spread across his mouth. Unable to help herself, Earnestine flung her arms around him and squeezed him into a tight desperate hung. When Tom finally gave in and enclosed the girl fully into his arms, was the point when Earnestine had willingly given way to her tears.

If anything would change this summer, anything at all. Earnestine only hoped that one thing would stay the same, and that was the way she was beginning to feel about that mysterious handsome boy Tom Riddle.

**Authors Note: **_Okay, so that is the end of the first year. This is a great time to leave a review and let me know how I am doing and perhaps give me a few good ideas for the next year at Hogwarts. Anyways, if you are loyally reading this story, I'd love to hear what you think about it. Thankies, Shelby._


	8. Chapter Seven

**The Dog Days of Summer**

The first morning back was the hardest, waking up to that cold and dreary attic instead of warm and cozy common rooms. It was a reminded of the world they were surrounded in now, a world that was unaccepting to them and what they were. Magical.

Earnestine pulled her knees, which were still covered in the thin tattered quilt, to her chest and rested her brown locks again them, looking over at her brother who was still sound asleep. It was still fairly early, the light tinges of yellow-orange rays barely reaching over the horizon. Earnestine was eager to greet the morning with watching the rising sun.

She had dreamt last night, dreamt about Tom. It was nothing spectacular, or romantic, or noteworthy, it was just Tom and his face. It was just enough to get her through her sleep peacefully and solidly.

As soon as she had made it home the night previous, Earnestine had sent a letter (via her owl Lucille) to both William and Tom, letting them know of her and her brother's safe arrival home. She had been hoping to hear back from them soon, but wasn't exactly holding her breath.

Earnestine began absentmindedly playing with the holes in her blanket when he had heard a knock come from the staircase to their attic and the rumbling voice of their uncle. Mrs. Monte had taken her son Bradford for a play date with some of his friends today, leaving Mr. Monte behind. "May I come up?"

Earnestine wondered what kind of torturous morning her uncle had in store for the two of them and glanced frantically at Henry who was still fast asleep. Earnestine didn't like the idea of being forced to talk with her uncle alone, but she was sure that if any raised voices should occur, Henry would wake up to her defense. "Yes, sir."

Earnestine counted the sound of shoes against wood as her uncle climbed the steps and onto the landing of their attic. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Once inside the attic her uncle paused uncomfortably, not exactly meeting his niece's eyes. Instead he focused on the window just behind her. He spoke awkwardly, "Good morning."

Earnestine was uncertain about her uncle's suddenly polite nature towards her. This was not his usual tone, not the bitter one he had typically taken in those rare occasions that he had ever really spoken to either of the twins. "Good morning, Uncle Monte," Earnestine answered carefully.

"I…er…I…" Mr. Monte was stumbling over his words awkwardly, still not looking his niece in her eyes, but when he suddenly did there was an unknown emotion that burned within the narrow blue pools. "I was…er…just wondering…about Hogwarts…."

Earnestine perked up at the familiar name, taken back by the fact that it had come out of her uncle's mouth, "Yeah?"

"Well, um…what…" Her uncle was clearly embarrassed by the whole 'talking comfortably with his witch and wizard niece and nephew about magic' thing. "What I wanted to know…was…which…housesyouweresortedinto." Mr. Monte spat out that last part as one entire word he was so nervous.

Earnestine's eyes widened. How on earth did her uncle, Mr. Monte, know anything about Hogwarts. Unable to swallow her curiosity, Earnestine answered him carefully. "I was, um…sorted into Gryffindor. Henry…he was sorted into Slytherin."

Mr. Monte's eyes widened, just slightly about the narrow slits that he naturally wore on his face, in admiration. "I always fancied Slytherin." He said.

"You.." Earnestine was simply unable to take the words in. "You…fancied Slytherin?...Sir? How...how do you..?"

"Know so much about magic and Hogwarts?" Mr. Monte finished for her and then looked down at his plump hands, wringing them uncomfortably and glancing down the steps anxiously. "You…you can't tell your aunt anything about this…?"

"Of course not." Earnestine's excitement was brimming at her uncle's sudden urge to share a secret with her, one that she would understand.

"Well you see, Earnestine," Her uncle paused carefully, unsure of how to word whatever it was that he was about to confess to her. "I am a squib."

Earnestine jumped, not realizing that Henry had woken up until he spoke up. "You're a what!" Henry seemed just as floored to hear it as she had been.

"A…er…squib," Their uncle repeated unsurely. "It means that I...er….am a wizard that…can't….do….magic." It seemed that Mr. Monte was choking on each word as it came out, almost difficult to understand.

The twins' mouths fell straight to the floor. Their uncle was a wizard too. Those just didn't seem to match up in the same sentence. It seemed impossible to have their uncle also have some sort of relation to them, and to their mother, other than their blood and DNA.

There was a long, shocked silence between the siblings as they simply gaped at their uncle. A squib. Suddenly they had both felt a deep sympathy for him, knowing what it must have been like to have been raised wanting more than anything to be able to use the magic talents they possessed, but simply being unable to do so.

Mr. Monte seemed to echo their thoughts, "It wasn't easy, you know. Watching your mother go off to Hogwarts each year, becoming captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, and becoming prefect and later head girl. I was always the odd one out. Even my parents were great. Dad was even the Minister of Magic for a spell."

Earnestine gasped out in both awe and amazement. It was all so incredible to her, finally understanding a tiny bit more of her family's famous wizarding history. "Our grandfather was the Minister of Magic?"

Mr. Monte nodded and a nearly invisible smile appeared fleetingly on his chubby face. "Yes. The youngest Minister to ever serve, in fact."

Henry too seemed to be mulling everything over. "Mum was in Ravenclaw?"

"Yea," Mr. Monte stumbled over and finally sat down in a metal folding chair towards the opposite wall, still looking at his hands. His eyes were somewhere else now, a different time. "They had said she was the most clever witch of her age, your mother."

"Excuse me, sir?" Henry asked suddenly, "Do you know anything about our father?"

Mr. Monte sighed a little, "Your father was in Slytherin, real popular bloke. Tall, dark hair, dark eyes. You both look just like him."

Hearing those words got Earnestine's mind wandering back to a time when her parents were in Hogwarts, picturing them both from behind her mind's eye. It was a pleasant feeling that poured through her, knowing now that her and her brother favored after their father in appearances. It somehow made her feel more connected to him. Silently she wondered why in her admiring flashback her parents had looked so similar to her and Tom.

Henry chewed on the inside of his cheek in caution. Unsure if he was really ready to hear the answer to the question he was about to ask, a question that had plagued him and his sister for over ten years now. "W-what happened to them?"

Earnestine turned her brown eyes back to her Uncle who had given a sharp intake of breath at the sudden inquiry. Swallowing hard, he had finally found the voice to answer Henry's prodding question. "That night, the night they died, you both were out with your father and your mother had stayed back a home for some quiet time. Your father had taken you to visit his friend Phineas Malfoy for the evening, and it was dark by the time he had returned home."

Mr. Monte took another breath to steady himself again before continuing. "You both were a little older than a year. Your father had made it to the front door when he could smell the smoke just behind it. He left you both with a concerned neighbor while he rushed in after her, never coming out. By the time the fire was out and the rubble was searched, their bodies had been found. They died together, he had found her but was unable to make it out."

It was quiet for a while after he had finished speaking to the twins, allowing the story to sink in. Henry and Earnestine finally had a straight story, finally had the answer. Henry spoke up quietly finally, "Thank you. Thank you for telling us."

Mr. Monte nodded curtly and breathed heavily as he moved from the chair, heading back for the stairs. Seeming to remember something, he stopped abruptly and turned back around. "There are some letters for the both of you, owl post came this morning." Reaching into his jacket pocket he pulled out two envelopes and tossed them in their direction.

"Thanks," Henry said as he caught the thick parchment.

Mr. Monte grunted in response and left the twins to their mail.

"They are both addressed to the both of us." Henry said, briefly glancing up at his sister. "Here," tossing her one of the envelopes, "You can read this one and then we'll trade."

Earnestine took the piece of parchment from her brother's reach, glad that he didn't immediately bring up the subject of their parents' death as she had expected him too. Looking down at the ink, it was scrawled out neatly.

_Henry and Earnestine Gander_

Earnestine smiled a little, glad to know that her friends had thought to write them immediately as they had the night previous. Vaguely she had wondered if her uncle had remembered to tip the owls, seeing that they had also brought them a copy of _The Daily Prophet _as well.

Gently, as not to tear the envelope to shreds, she pulled it open and slid out a small piece of parchment, unfolded it, and immediately glanced at the signature to see which of her companions this letter had been written by.

_Tom Marvolo Riddle_

Earnestine's smile broadened just slightly more as she tore her eyes back to the start of the letter and began to read:

_Henry and Earnestine,_

_I made it back to the orphanage in one piece and thought that I should write and let you know that I am safe and well, or as greatly so that I can be while I am here. I have done quite a bit of reading up already on my history on the ride here, I have discovered your family tree. Were you guys aware that your grandfather (on your mother's side) was the youngest Minister of Magic that has ever served?_

_As for my own history, I have learned that my mother, Merlope Gaunt well, I would rather write you an excerpt of what it says in this book._

_Merope Gaunt had lived in a__shack__near__Little Hangleton__with her father,__Marvolo__, and brother,__Morfin__. Generations of inbreeding left the__Gaunts__violent, mentally unstable, and poverty-stricken. Merope exhibited little__magical__talent in her early years, and as a result was mentally and physically abused by her father, who called her a "disgusting little Squib", among other things. However, this was actually a self-fulfilling prophecy, as Merope's magical abilities were suppressed largely__because__of her father's abuse. Based on this, as well as the family's poverty, it is unlikely that Merope attended__Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry__, though she did have__a wand__. Merope seemed to be in charge of cooking and cleaning in her family home; it is unknown what happened to her mother._

_However, Merope's magical ability flourished after her father and brother were incarcerated in__Azkaban__and she was free from their abuse. _

_At some point in her life, Merope secretly fell in love with__Tom Riddle__, an exceptionally handsome and wealthy __Muggle__, and the only child of__Thomas__and__Mary Riddle__, who lived nearby. Her father was livid when Morfin revealed this to him, and attacked her physically, but was restrained by__Ministry__official__Bob Ogden__. Ogden arrested both Marvolo and Morfin, who had__cursed__Riddle because his sister found him attractive. With__her family__gone, Merope made a play for Riddle. She left the shack with a farewell note revealing what she did, and her existence was never again mentioned by Marvolo._

_In any case, Riddle became infatuated with her and they were soon married, running away to__London__together. This caused great scandal in__Little Hangleton__._

_After her husband's sudden abandonment, Merope soon fell into a deep depression and lived as a pauper in London, selling her valuables to survive. Specifically, she sold her__locket__, a family heirloom, to__Caractacus Burke__for only ten__Galleons__, either not knowing that it was a priceless artifact or just simply no longer caring. Her heart broken and her dreams in tatters, Merope stopped using__magic__altogether after Riddle's desertion, not even willing to raise her__wand__to save her own life (although, according to sources, her powers may have been sapped as a result of depression)._

_On__New Year's Eve__of__1926__, Merope entered labour. She stumbled into an__orphanage__, and gave birth to a son. She told__Mrs. Cole__, a woman who worked in the orphanage, to name him__Tom__for his father,__Marvolo__for her father, and__Riddle__to be his surname.__Tom Marvolo Riddle__, according to , was a "funny name", and she wondered whether Merope had come from a circus. Merope Gaunt died within an hour, and her last words were a final wish that her son would turn out to look like his papa, which said that she was right to hope it as Merope was no beauty._

_Absolutely disgusting, don't you agree. Whoever had written this, clearly had no respect for my family what so ever. And this man, my father, doesn't sound to have any more dignity than the swine who wrote this. Pathetic. I've ripped out the page so that no one else can read it, I wouldn't want someone like William finding my history worded so much like this, he'd never let it go._

_Either way, the heir of Salizar Slytherin. That isn't too shabby._

_Hope all is well and hope to hear from you both soon,_

_Tom Marvolo Riddle_

Earnestine looked away from the letter and sighed, she had truly felt sorry for Tom. If she had known that whatever he was going to find would have been so grim, she wouldn't have even allowed him to go searching. Mentally, she made a note to write a lengthy reply to him as soon as she got the chance.

She had glanced over to Henry, who was now reading through _The Daily Prophet. _Earnestine had guessed that William's letter was fairly brief. Earnestine traded Tom's letter for the small piece of parchment that was set on the dresser between the two beds.

_Henry and Earnest,_

_This place is fucking amazing. Bet you're a tad jealous._

_You-Know-Who_

Earnestine rolled her eyes and crumbled up the sloppily written bragging note and tossed it in the trash bin muttering something about stupid rich boys.


End file.
